Cross flow cooling tower having recycling system



Jan. 24, 1956 L. T. MART 2,732,190

CROSS FLOW COOLING TOWER HAVING RECYCLING SYSTEM Filed sept. 24, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Jan. 24, 1956 T. MART 2,732,190

CROSS FLOW COOLING TOWER HAVING REcYOLrNG SYSTEM Filed Sept. 24, 1952 3 Sheets-Shea"I 2 `lan. 24, 1956 L, T, MART 2,732,190

CROSS FLOW COOLING TOWER HAVING RECYCLING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 24, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENToR. e0/7 7.' Mar/L HTTOKNEK United States Patent() CROSS FLOW COOLING TOWER HAVING RECYCLING SYSTEM Leon T. Mart, Mission Township, Johnson County, Kans., assignor to The Marley Company, a corporation of Delaware Application September 24, 1952, Serial No. 311,227

2 Claims. (Cl. 26h-21) This invention relates to heat exchangers of the socalled cooling tower type where the water is reduced in temperature by a current of air traversing the tower in horizontal paths while the water is dropped vertically through the tower to intersect the air currents.

The primary aim of this invention is to provide equipment of the aforementioned character having means for recycling the water being cooled so that it will pass through the air traversing the splash deck of the cooling tower a number of times, each successive passage of the water through the air being closer to the air intake end of the splash deck than the last passage.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cooling tower having as a part thereof a splash deck, a number of overhead distribution trays adapted to drop streams of water through the splash deck into underlying catch basins, the accumulated water in a catch basin below one tray being deposited in the tray next closest to the air intake end of the splash deck.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a cooling method that includes in combination, gravitational llow of liquid to be cooled, cross-flow of artificially produced currents of air for cooling the gravitating liquid, receiving the hot air current and directing the same vertically to a point where the discharged air will not be recirculated, and recirculation of the water through the air streams to progressively cool the same.

Another important aim of this invention is to provide a cooling system for water wherein a common splash deck has successively passed therethrough a number of streams of water to the end that the said streams attain a progressively lower temperature as the air inlet end of the splash deck is approached, and whereby the continuous current of air that is caused to intersect the successive streams, is raised in temperature as the outlet end olf the splash deck is approached thereby.

Further aims of this invention will appear during the course of the following specification, having reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical, cross-sectional View through one form of cross-flow cooling tower having a recycling system made pursuant to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of a cooling tower embodying the principles hereof in another form of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the cooling tower shown in Fig. 2, parts being broken away for clearness; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

This is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Serial No. 245,040, tiled September 4, 1951.

The component parts of the cooling tower shown in Fig. l` of the drawings include a supporting foundation for all of the structural parts of the tower and preferably formed for convenience and cheapness of construction to present a cold water-receiving sump, broadly designated by the numeral 12. A partition 13 divides sump 12 into an inner catch basin 15 and an outer catch basin 17.

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A hollow housing 14 has one end 16 thereof in substantially full and complete communication with an air inlet tube 18 that in turn receives a rotatable fan 20 for creating and forcing the flow of artificial currents of air in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. l of the drawings. Fan 20 and a suitable prime mover for driving the same (not shown), are rigidly mounted on the foundation 10 and this entire power unit is thereby rendered accessible for maintenance, repair and observation of its operation at all times.

It is noted that the vertical height of the inlet tube 18 is substantially the same as the height of a till assembly broadly designated by the numeral 22 and disposed Within the housing 14, and likewise, the width of `the tube 18 at the innermost end thereof is substantially the same as the width of the assembly 22.

The outwardly-flared inlet end of tube 18 operates to render fan 20 fully elfective in moving a maximum volurne of air without loss of air movement at any point throughout the length of blades 20 or throughout the full diameter of tube 18.

Housing 14 is provided with an opening at the top thereof for receiving a relatively shallow, hot liquid-re ceivingbasin 24 that is provided with a bottom wall 26 and a partition 21 to present an inner tray 23 and an outer tray 25, having an area that is substantially coextensive with the cross-sectional dimensions of the ll assembly 22 which it overlies. Bottom wall 26 is provided with a plurality of liquid discharge perforations or nozzles 28 for free passage of water from the basin 24 to the two sections 27 and 29 of fill assembly 22 through action of gravity. A distribution deck, not shown, may be utilized between the wall 26 and the uppermost end of the lill assembly 22 for assuring even flow of the liquid over the entire cross-sectional area of the assembly 22 if desired.

It is furthermore appreciated that the basin 24 may be provided with a cover to overcome adverse effects of the sun upon the water, such as formation of algae, but its elimination, as illustrated in the drawing, has no elfect upon the overall operation of the cooling tower itself.

That end of the housing 14 opposite to end wall 16 thereof extends beyond the till assembly 22 and presents a housing portion 30 for receiving the forced currents of air from the assembly 22 and directing the same upwardly above the uppermost level of basin 24. Housing portion 30 is open at the lowermost end thereof and in direct alignment with a portion of the sump 12 that extends beyond the till assembly 22. The uppermost end of the housing portion 30 is likewise open and communicates with a tubular stack 32 that may be of any suitable height, as hereinafter more fully described, to effectively discharge the air vertically to a point where the same is not likely to recirculate into the tube 1S and thence through the fill assembly 22.

A drift eliminator 34 is provided within the housing portion 30 for removing water that is entrained within the air emanating from the ll assembly 22, such eliminator 34 being coextensive in width with the ll assembly 22.

Eliminator 34 may be of conventional character in that the same includes a plurality of inclined louvers and the entire eliminator 34 extends at an angle from foundation 10 upwardly toward the uppermost end of the fill assembly 22. Drift eliminator 34 therefore, intersects the path of travel of the air currents as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the water removed from such air is free to gravitate into the underlying basin of sump 12.

The fill assembly 22 is preferably made in its entirety from wood (although other materials have and are being used) and includes a plurality of spaced-apart layers 3S of horizontal slats, presenting free passages for the ow ofy air from the tube 18 toward the housing portion 30. The slats of each layer, are in staggered relationship to the slats of the layers therebelow, thereby presenting.l a serpentine path of travel for the liquidemanatingfrom the basin 24 and gravitating to the underlying basin of sump 12.

Liquid tobe cooled is fed from a point of use, directly to the tray 23 by a pipe 36. Liquidl emanating from the section 27 of the assembly 22 is collected by thel catch basin 15, as is the liquid which is removed from the air by the eliminator 34. A pump 3S has its inlet in communication with the catch basin by a pipe 40, and' discharges into the tray 2S by means of a pipe' 41. The liquid collected by the basin 17 from the section 29 is re' directed to apoint of use by a pipe 42.

Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive of the drawings, illustrate the way in which the principles hereof may be embodied' in a composite assembly having a stack 100 common to a plurality of units.

Heat exchange apparatus, in England particularly, and in other countries foreign to the United States,.ditfers in form and in operation from the broad principles above set forth. The high cost of electric power and the ready availability of concrete have resulted' in use of natural draft principles, and accordingly, the construction of relatively large, parabolical stacks 100, so formed to obviate the necessity of using power to produce a constant flow of currents of air. These stacks average approximately 200 to 280 feet in height, with a range of between 80 and ciples to cooling towers using power for creating currents f of air, with resultant abandonment of such costly structures, would be impractical. However, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive, these stacks 100 can be converted to forced draft operation by employing the features hereinabove outlined.

It is proposed that a plurality of side-by-side or spaced, identical units 102 be arranged in an annular row about the base of stack 100, each unit 102 being substantially the same as that shown in Fig. l, and disposed either between foundations 104 for stack 100 or outwardly therefrom. Each unit 102 accordingly includes a fill assembly 106, an air inlet tube 108, a fan 110, a hot water basin 112 and a cold water sump 114.

The basins 112 are each sub-divided by a partition 113, presenting a pair of trays 115 and 117. Similarly, the sump 114 includes an inner catch basin 118 common to inner section 119 of the assemblies 106 and to a drift eliminator 120 within stack 100. An outer, annular catch basin 121, presented by a partition 123 is common to sections 125 of assemblies 106.

Eliminator 120 includes a number of sections 122, one for each unit 102, and interconnected to present a continuous structure circumscribing the vertical axis of stack 100. A suitable foundation 127 forming a part of sump portion 118 supports eliminator 120 and the sections 122 thereof may be either vertically disposed or, particular ly if the units are disposed outwardly from foundations 104, inclined similarly to the inclination of eliminator 34 in'Fig. l.

While no reason is apparent for dividing the assemblies 106, vertical partitions 124 within eliminator 120 are desirable to avoid the adverse effects of wind upon some of the units 102 and entering certain of the tubes 1&8.

A horizontal drift eliminator within stack 100 above the top horizontal plane of units 102 may conceivably be used in place of the type of eliminators hereinabove described.

Stacks 100 are commonly provided with an annular, hot water-receiving trough 126,.and discharge .spouts 128 are provided in trough 126 for each tray 115 respective'- ly, each spout having a valve 130.

One or more pumps 132 are provided for removing water from catch'basin'118 by means of a pipe 134 and directing the same to a manifold 136 surrounding stack 100, by means of a discharge pipe 13S. A valved outlet 140 is provided in manifold 136 for each tray 117 respectively.

In both forms of the invention therefore, the hot water is fed from a point of use to the distribution tray next adjacent the air discharge end of the ll assembly or splash deck. It thereupon gravitates through the innermost ll assembly section to the sump basin therebelow and is pumped therefrom to the outermost tray or trays for gravitation to the outermost catch basin from which the cold water is directed to the point of use. The valving permits use of as many units102 as may be desired, and of course, prevailing winds and other factors will determine whether or not all of the fans are employed simultaneously.

The progressive cooling ofthe water as the air inlets are approached, raises vthe eiciency of the heat exchange unit appreciably whether forced or natural draft methods of air movement are employed.

Having thus describedthe invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured1by Letters Patent is:

1. Structure for the air cooling of water comprising a hollow housing having a portion at one end thereof extending upwardly into a Vertical stack discharging above the top of the housing; an air inlet tube at the opposite end of the housing; a ll assembly in the housing between the'tube and said portion, and including an inner section and an outer section; a hot water receiving basin overlying the assembly atsaidtop of the housing and provided with a perforated bottom wall; a partition in the basin subdividing the same into a tray for each of said sections respectively; a sump-at the bottom of the housing; a partition in the sump subdividing the same into an inner catchA basin beneath said portion and said inner section andan outer catch basinbeneaththe outer'section; a hot water feed pipe discharging into the tray overlying the inner section; meansfor pumpingwater from thefinner catch-basin and discharging the same into the other tray; conduit means for draining water from the outer catch basin; and afan within1the tube for directing currents of air through the till assembly, transversely across the water gravitating therethrough, and thence to said portion of the housing to the stack for. discharge therefrom.

2. Structure for the air cooling ofwater comprising a plurality of hollow housings terminating at one end thereof in a common vertical stack discharging above the top of the housings; an air inlet tube at the opposite end of each housing respectively; a till assembly in each housing between the tube thereof and each stack and each including an inner section and an outer section; a hot water receiving basin overlying each assembly respectively at the topof the correspondinghousings and each provided with a perforatedbottom wall; a partition in each basin subdividing the same into a tray for each corresponding section respectively; a sump beneath the housings and the stack; a partition in-the sump and surrounding the stack subdividing the sump into an inner catch basin beneathl the stack and said inner sections and an outer catch basin beneath the outer sections; a hot water receiving trough surrounding the stack above said tops of the housings, the tray of each inner section having a water feed pipe discharging thereinto coupled'with the trough; a manifold surrounding the stackand provided with an outlet for the tray of each outer section respectively; means for pumping water from the inner catch basin and discharging the same into the manifold; conduit means for draining water from the outer catch basin; and a fan in each tubel respectively for directing currents of air through the ll assemblies, transversely across the water gravitating therethrough, and thence to said stack for discharge-therefrom, saidzhousingsurrounding the stack, said feed' pipes and' said outlets each-being provided with a valve for seletvely controlling the flow of water to the trays.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Kuypers June 15, 1920 Mart Feb. 27, 1940 Schmalenbach J an. 7, 1941 Spiselman et al. Dec. 22, 1942 Green June 20, 1950 Parks et al. Aug. 26, 1952 

